Today, Solomon gives two scenarios that are obviously foolish, and then follows them with a third, to emphasize his point. When it is cold, it would be foolish to take off your coat before going outside. In Solomon’s day, nitre was a very useful substance that was rendered useless when mixed with vinegar. Therefore, it would be unthinkably foolish to mix these two substances. Solomon makes these two statements to emphasize the foolishness of the following scenario. When someone is grieving, hurting, or suffering, it is foolish to think you can fix their circumstance or emotional state, with a few trite words. Many times we equate loving with fixing. We see someone who is experiencing a difficult season in life, and we want to cheer them up. While there is a time to try to minister hope and encouragement, a wise individual will begin first by sympathizing with, loving, and seeking to understand the heavy hearted.